Tensile Properties of Bamboo Fiber Reinforced Biodegradable Plastics

Shinji Ochi

doi:10.5923/j.cmaterials.20120201.01

Abstract

This paper describes tensile properties of bamboo fiber reinforced biodegradable plastics. The unidirectional biodegradable composites were made from bamboo fiber bundles and a starch-based biodegradable resin. The tensile strengths of the composites increased with increasing fiber content up to 70%. The composites possessed extremely high tensile strengths of 265 MPa. The fabrication with emulsion-type biodegradable resin contributed to reduction in voids and fiber contacts in the composites. Moreover, heat resistance of bamboo fibers and bamboo fiber reinforced plastics was in- vestigated. As results, tensile strength of both bamboo fiber and bamboo fiber reinforced plastics decreased at 160℃.

Highlights

Because of their extensive use in many diverse fields, plastics, including FRP products have become indispensable to our daily lives
At 140°C, the tensile strength of heat-treated bamboo fibers does not decrease even with longer heating times. the tensile strength of bamboo fiber rapidly decreases at heating temperatures of 180°C and 200°C, it shows a tendency to decrease gradually at 160°C
These results are the same as the mechanical properties which the natural fiber heat-treated in air, and we found that the tensile strength of composites used as strengthening material the bamboo fiber decrease at 160°C

Summary

Introduction

Because of their extensive use in many diverse fields, plastics, including FRP (fiber reinforced plastics) products have become indispensable to our daily lives. In order to reduce the environmental load generated from the disposal of used plastic products, significant attention has been placed on biodegradable plastics. These plastics can be completely resolved into water and carbon dioxide by the action of the microorganism, when disposed of in the soil. Over the past few years a considerable number of studies[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13] have been performed on biodegradable composites containing biodegradable plastics with reinforcements of biodegradable natural fibers. Heat resistance of bamboo fibers and bamboo fiber reinforced plastics was investigated

Methods

Results

Conclusion